Police shot and wounded a man they say pointed a gun at officers on Chicago’s South Side early Wednesday morning.
Officers were on patrol around 1:40 a.m. in the city's Englewood neighborhood when they saw a “large unruly crowd” in the 5600 block of South Morgan, according to a statement from Chicago police. Witnesses say the group consisted of about 50 people, who were outside for a memorial.
When they arrived, the officers saw a man walking away from the scene while holding his side, police said.
The officers told the man to stop but he allegedly started walking faster. As officers chased him he allegedly pulled a weapon from his waistband and pointed it in their direction, according to authorities. The officers then opened fire, hitting the man multiple times.
"I saw him running, I saw them running behind him," said witness Kareen Noble. "I saw them shooting. They fired a lot of shots. I saw him hit the ground."
The man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County for treatment, police said. He was last listed in stable condition.
Witnesses at the scene began protesting the shooting, calling it unjustified. Many began chanting "No justice, no peace."
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"We're scared of the police around here," said Noble. "A lot of us are. Why would they stop them?That's the important question. Walking around isn't really a crime."
Police said a weapon was recovered from the scene.
"The community demands answers," said community activist Jedidiah Brown. "We're tired of police brutality. There's a growing distrust between the community and police and we need to know what really happened out here today."
The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating.
